Delicious Inspiration

Chewy Dark Chocolate Brownies

These brownies are the best. I don’t throw that word around often – so believe me when I say it! They’re chewy like boxed mix brownies, but more decadent. I think they’re a lot of fun to make – just listening to the sound of butter browning makes me happy. What can I say, it’s the little things. 🙂

Honestly, both my husband and kids love these, and it’s not often that they like the same types of desserts! These have been on repeat since school started – I know they’re going to be a favorite at your house too!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil – make sure there’s enough foil to hang over the pan for easy brownie removal. Spray with nonstick spray, and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder – set aside.

In a medium pot, add the sticks of butter and cook on medium to medium-high heat (about 5 1/2) on a gas range until the butter is melted and slightly toasted. You’ll hear the crackle and popping from the butter as it melts – occasionally lift the pot and swirl the butter around – or stir it with a wooden spoon. When it’s done browning, the crackling will stop and the butter with get foamy and start rising up the sides of the pot. This should take about 8-10 minutes.

When the butter is finished, take it off the stove, and pour in the chocolate chunks. Stir with a wooden spoon (scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan), until the chocolate is melted. Set aside while you make the rest of the batter.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cold eggs together with the sugars, salt, and vanilla for 8 minutes on medium-high speed. Set a timer!

Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly pour in the warm chocolate butter mixture. Once combined, spoon in the flour/cocoa mixture with the mixer on low. Beat on medium for 30 seconds to completely incorporate all the ingredients. Scrape the bowl, and beat again on medium for another 10 seconds. Then scrape the bowl, stir to make sure everything was incorporated and pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The middle will have risen and the entire surface will have large cracks running through it. This is one of those rare times where I don’t use a toothpick, because it would come out with batter, even though it’s done baking.

Place the pan on the counter to cool for 1 hour – the brownies will continue to bake in the pan from residual heat. Carefully remove the brownies from the pan by lifting the foil sides from the pan and place them on the counter. Gently pull the foil down from around the sides of the brownies and cut.

The brownies are moist and fudgy, but they’ll also set up more after 12 hours. So don’t worry too much if you think you’ve overbaked them!

These freeze beautifully, and will keep in a covered container for 4-5 days (if they last that long!).